Pipe joint



d E. GORDON PIPE JOLNT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1945 N0v.9,1948. EGORDON t 2,453,428

PIPE JOINT Filed June 18, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nov. 9, 1948. E. GORDON 2,453,428

I PIPE JOINT Filed June 18 1945 V 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Nov. 9, 1948 Ernest Gordon, Prestwich, England, assignor of I l ,1 one-half to Arthur Ernest Roberts, Prestwich, 1 5 1- England Application June 18,1945, Serial no. 00,095 In Great Britain March 28, 1944;

Section 1, Public Ilaw 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires March 28, 1964 4 Claims. (Cl. 285-10) The bearings known as doll-heads, are used' inter alia for thesupport of dryingcylinders, hot calender rolls and like rotating members into which steam is to be fed at one endfrom a stationary (non-rotary) pipe, and from which'steam fix and condensate (if any) are to be withdrawn at the other endto a further stationary pipe. The said pipes extend to points in planes above or below the axis of rotation and liefin directions at right angles (or substantially so) to said axis.

The difiiculty encountered in using these bearings is that, for the reasons set out below fsteam and water leak at the joints between the rotating and stationary parts, often to a serious extent. It is conceivable that the invention may find other uses than with steam, but it will be described merely as applied to a bearing for rotary steam-heated apparatus.

Many proposals have been made hitherto for the overcoming of the above named difiiculty, but

not with permanent success. The said difiiculty arises from several causes, notably the axial expansion and contraction of the cylinder orroller due to temperature changes, which varies theposition of the said joints along the axisof rota tion; the axial expansion and contraction of the stationary pipes also due to temperaturechanges, and which tends to di -place the axis of, the stationary part of the joint out of line with that of the rotating part; and the normal wear and tear due toiriction between relatively rotating parts.

The pipes leading directly to and from the d011- heads are usually branch pipes arranged at right angles to the axis of rotation (or substantially so) in plan, and grow out of rigid main pipes or trunks. The axial displacement of the bearing along the axis of rotation, calls for flexibility in the branch pipe, and this has usually been provided by the use of resilient asbestos or like packings in joints between fixed and movable parts of the branch pipe, but, as the steam very soon deprives those packings of their resilience, the joints cease to be steam tight. The trouble is sometimes aggravated in that the packings shrink, allowing the steam to get past and underneath them, and they also become hard; and act as pistons tending, to open the joints instead of serving to close the joints. The desired flexibility in the branch pipes cannot be pro vided by the use of flexible hose, as that material would not stand up for a sufiicient length of time to the adverse effects of hot steam; nor yet by the use of flexible metal tubing, such as copper tubing, as that material would not withstand the blows and pressures to which would be parts.

, bank of drying cylinders, or hot calenders, is almost always shrouded in clouds of escaping steam, and especially on thewatensideQis attended by dripping bearings and poolsof water on the' floor. This loss of steam represents a considerable wastage of fuel; the frequent renewal of resilient packings is a greatfexpenseyand it is not uncommon for the hearings or the lower rows of cylinders to require mackintosh covers ,orthe like to protect them from drippings from the bearings of the upper rows.

The present invention has for its object the provision of doll-head bearings whichare free fromthe defects named above; whichtake adequate care of expansion and contraction in the cylinders or rollers and in the branch. pipes; which require no resilient or other perishable, packings, and which are self lubricating at the friction surfaces between the relatively rotating According to this invention, in an arrangement in which a branch pipe providesjcommunication between a statioary main pipe and the; rotating trunnion, three pressure-closed ball and-socket jointsare provided, arranged atthe threecor ners of a triangle, one joint being at the connection of the branch pipe "with the main pipe, another being at the connection of the branch pipe with the trunnion, and the third being between components of the branch pipeitselff lying at an angle to each other. consequently asahy one side ofthe triangle varies itslength, due to Since the joints are of ball-and-socket type. they continue to function as joints despite changesin the angle betweenthe axes of the jointed parts. ,Preferably the joint between components of the branchpipe itself will be close tothe joint at the trunnion and, with the parts cold, will also ,be on the axis of thetrunnion. 1 1 e A convenient embodiment of the invention has a ball-and-socket joint at the end of the cylinder trunnion, both the partsof which rotattogether and therefore do not require lubrication; a second ball-andgsocket in line therewith} the parts of which have, relative rotation and are lubricated, the two sockets being in opposite ends of the same member (which is a component of the branch pipe), and both balls being held in their sockets-"by the same spring means;' and a third ball-and-socket member at the connection-with the main pipe, with spring closing means, neither part of which has rotation. The supporting bearing for the trunnion is such as to allow ofthe to-and-from axial movement of the trunnion as the cylinder expands and contracts; In the accompanying drawing: Y Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating the I functioning of the preferred form of the invention I .,..;;Betweenthese.iS thetwo-part branch pipe,

fhavingco'r'npohents C and D, and these several ,fp'art'sare connected together by pressure-closed, j"ball andsochetjoints X, Y, Z. In Fig. 1 the parts tart s 'owriin the normal cold position; both'join'ts X andY, being on the axis of cylinder A. Should e cylinder expand,"and displace those joints axijally the components 0, D vary their relative angular disposition as shown in Fig.2, all the v joints remaining c10sf'ed,"due to the applied pressure. Should component" l) expand, and dis- ;ipla e the ,1 pint Y vertically, a similar accommoda- ,tionftakes place. In practice, theparts A, and Dwillall be subject to expansion and contraction, I but ,their mutual variations are compensated by exibilityat jointX, andbyfthe'fact that the "I taljl'ength of" the components and D is sub- 'stantially1 greater than 'th'third side of the triangle" represented b'ythe dotted line E.

In Fig..4fthe jointY is placed nearer the joint ZQbutthe same conditions apply, as in the fi rst llarrangement, the components C and D together I being fof'greater length than the distancelil.

Referring now to Figs. to 9, which showthe drying cylinder, the hollow invention applied to a ftifunhion' l of thecylinderiz is supported in an fanti frictiof (b ll orrollerl bearing 3, carried by the channel-shaped part 4'of the rigid frameof the machine, the bearing 3 being housed ina cas- .ing,,5 which is s'lidable across the channel in a :ltomove. tb-and-fro axially. "To the outer end of this trunnion] 'is secured aballi-ended member I th through opening Band there is fitted'against such ball-ended member one recessed end 9 of a {sleeve'jor socket [0 whose otherend H, als'orecessed, fits against a second ball ended member I? facing inthe opposite direction "to'the member 1]. This second member'iZ is secured in the end of an elbow'pipe. I3 and both ballshaped parts l and [2, with their respective sockets 9 and H are ground to fit closely in all relative positions Qwithintheir range ,of angular displacement. The

" sleeve Hl'is connectedtothe trunnion I by the bolizsfllcz so=as torotate therewith. Surrounding tneparts I l; and 1 Land the major portionof the saidsleeve l0,- iszan enclosing housing M, the .lower part 7 l5 of which constitutes an cilbath. This housing 1 4 has depending lugs Ma which fit into sl o ts mule, said saddle onguidegfi on, the main frame, the slots (not shown) being $6 Shaped that ,'1'saddle' or guide 6 and therefore allows the bearin in the ensuing claims. 5, 6v and 7 .will show that the three ball-and-socket members i l,

7 plane of pipes flanges and nuts 21 on 4 the housing I 4 may move axially of the cylinder and also transversely of the cylinder. The housing it also has laterally extending flanges Mb (see Fig. '7) for a purpose described below.

That part ll of the said sleeve H! which fits against the second-named ball-ended part 12 has a disc-shaped flange formed on it so as to dip into the oil in the bath l5 and pick up some of the oil for lubricating purposes, whilst between that flange and the inner wall of the housing M are a number'of splash rings on the sleeve it! to throw surplus oil off and thereby prevent its travelling along the sleeve towards the cylinder.

The said elbow pipe I 3 which carries the second ball-ended part i2 is mounted in the end wall of the housing l4, and is secured to the upper end of an inclined pipe l6 whose lower end is also fitted with a ball-ended part I! making joint with a socket member is secured fixedly to a further elbow pipe i9. branching from the main steam trunk 20 lying in the channel 4. On'the pipe ,Hiand'elbow pipe lli behind the ball-and -socket i8 respectively, are cross 'platesZl, 22 through'which pass a pair of bolts 23, and around such bolts, behind one of the cross plates:

are compression springs 24 acting to keep the ball "I1 and socket 18 in contact. The sleeve Ill constitutes one component, and the pipes l3 and I6 constitute the other component of the branch pipe referred to in the foregoing definition and A consideration of Figs.

joints lie at the corners of a triangle in the axial L3 and i6 Projecting outwardly from the casing 5 which trunnion l is a pair of screwed studs 25, passing through the flanges i ib' on the oil bath housing M and carrying compression springs 25 behind those flanges, which springs react between such the ends of the studs 25 to keep the oppositely-directed ball shaped parts 8 and I2 and the intermediate double-socket'member l0 inlclosecontact. The whole assembly is free to yield axially as the cylinder 2 expands and contracts and during such expansion and contraction the ball I1 and socket it in the inclined pipe adjust themselves Upon expansion of the pipe It itself, which tends to displace the ball-ended part l2 out of ended socket ill shifts its line with the part tains close contact with v fering with the relative rotation at In the result,.all the joints are eff ciently maintained without any need for resilient packing, and there is no leakage of steam and no dripping of hot water. Theball-and-socket arrangement may be reversed in any or all of the joints.

Other methods of lubricating the sleeve and -half-ball may be adopted; for example, a drip lubricator may be used, but the self-oiling method is preferred, as requiring the least attention. What I claim is: V I I 1. The combination with a hollow cylinder journalled in bearings for rotative movement and arranged. to receive a fluid heating medium from I a source, of a fluid-tight conduit for supplying such medium from the source to the cylinder which allowing for axial expansion of such cylinder, such means comprising a multi-part branch pipeconnecting the cylinder with the source, one i such part being generally axially aligned withthe cylinder axis, a seond part being disposed at'an to the consequent displacement of the pipes 13 and i6.

angle to such first part and being provided at one end thereof with ball-and-socket means connecting it with said fluid source, and ball-and-socket means at each end of the first part connecting it, respectively, with the cylinder and with the second part.

2. The combination with a hollow cylinder journalled in bearings for rotative movement and arranged to receive a fiuid heating medium from a source, of a fluid-tight conduit for supplying such medium from said source to the cylinder while allowing for axial expansion of such cylinder, such means comprising a two-part branch pipe connecting the cylinder with the source, one such part being generally axially aligned with the cylinder axis, a second part being disposed at substantially right angle to such first part and being connected therewith by ball-and-socket means, and ball-and-socket means at each end of the branch pipe connecting it, respectively, with the cylinder and with the fluid source, and spring means urging the ball-and-socket means into fiuid-tight relation.

3. The combination with a hollow cylinder journalled in bearings for rotative movement and arranged to receive a fluid heating medium from asource, of a fluid-tight conduit for supplying such medium from such source to the cylinder while allowing for axial expansion of said cylinder, such means comprising a two-part branch pipe connecting the cylinder with the source, one such part being generally axially alignedwith the cylinder axis and arranged to rotate with the cylinder, a second part being disposed at an angle to such first part and being provided at one end thereof with ball-and-socket means connecting it with said fluid source, a socket element at each end of the first part and ball means at the adjacent terminals of the cylinder and of the second part cooperating with such socket elements, such ball meanshaving through openings therein communicating with the openings in the socket elenecting the cylinder with the source, one such part being generally axially aligned with the cylinder axis and arranged to rotate with the cylinder, a second part being disposed at an angle to such first part and being provided at oneend thereof with ball-and-socket means connecting it with said fluid source, a socket element at each end of the first part and ball means at the adjacent terminals of the cylinder and of the second part cooperating with such socket elements, a housin enclosing the ball-and-socket elements at the outer end of the first part and arranged to receive a lubricant for the elements which ro-- tate relative to each other, and spring means for maintaining the ball and-socket elements in fluid-tight relation.

ERNEST GORDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 309,457 Hall Dec. 16, 1884 1,382,245 Russell et a1. June 21, 1921 1,425,083 Farrell Aug. 8, 1922 1,679,27 6

Slining July 31, 1928 

